In the making of hollow blown plastic articles such as containers, it has heretofore been suggested that labels be held in one or more of the mold sections by vacuum so that when the parison is blown outwardly into conformity with the cavity, the label becomes adhered or bonded to the article.
The molds are often provided in a plurality of sets of partible molds in a predetermined array and, in order to delivery the labels, a plurality of magazines are provided, one for each mold half, and an associated plurality of pick-up and delivery devices function to remove labels from the magazines and deliver them to one or both of the mold halves of each set.
As set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 4,636,166, having a common assignee with the present application, an apparatus is provided wherein labels are successively removed from a label magazine and positioned in an array which corresponds in spacing to the spacing of the sets of molds. The labels are then simultaneously moved in the array from the first position to a second position within the open partible molds and deposited in the molds. The apparatus comprises a magazine for supporting labels in a stack and an endless belt transfer device positioned adjacent the magazine. The belt is indexed in predetermined spaces corresponding to the spaces of the array of molds. A label pick-up device removes a label from the magazine and deposits it on the conveyor so that the spacing between the labels on the endless transfer conveyor corresponds to the spacing between the sets of molds. Another label deposit device removes the labels simultaneously from the endless transfer conveyor and delivers them between the open partible molds.
In copending application Ser. No. 054,928, filed May 28, 1987, having a common assignee with the present application, a method and apparatus is disclosed which comprises providing labels on a roll of labels, successively engaging the free end of the web of the roll of labels by a first endless vacuum conveyor, tensioning the portion of the web between a point upstream and the free end by the first endless vacuum conveyor, successively cutting a label on the free end from the remaining tensioned portion, transferring each label successively by moving the first endless conveyor adjacent a second endless vacuum conveyor which is transverse to the first conveyor, indexing the second endless conveyor to provide an array of labels on the second endless conveyor which corresponds in spacing to the spacing of the array of molds, engaging the array of labels and moving them from a first position adjacent said second conveyor to a second position within the partible molds and depositing the labels in the molds.
In the handling of the labels for transfer between the endless conveyor and open partible molds, difficulties are encountered especially where the labels are made of a material such as plastic.
Among the objectives of present invention are to provide an apparatus including a pickup and delivery device which will effectively hold the label and prevent it from becoming folded or deformed during the handling; which apparatus is simple and can be readily manufactured and maintained.
In accordance with the invention, the apparatus for removing the labels from a conveyor and applying them to the open partible molds which comprises a vacuum head and means for supporting the head for movement into a position for picking up a label and delivering a label to a partible mold. The head comprises an elongated body and a plurality of longitudinally spaced vacuum cups. The body has a transverse cross sectional surface that generally conforms to the cross section of the internal surface of the mold to which the label is to be applied. The outer surface of the body is formed with a layer of resilient material with the vacuum cups projecting slightly beyond the outer surface of the layer.